My piece Near Finsbury Park will be one of the works to be broadcast. This work orininally formed part of my proximity-activated installation, currently on permanent loan to the Audio Foundation in Auckland.
I Just Called will be launching its Belfast Libraries Tour on 03 October 2024 at the awesome Belfast Central Library at 6:30 pm. The installation will have a telephone seat on each of the three levels, each with access to a unique set of messages. From November, a single-seat version will tour all of the other branches as per the schedule below. There will be an opportunity to interact with the artist (me) and contribute content at each branch (dates to be finalised).
Proud to have I Just Called included as part of the first tranche of projects documented by the team at Liverpool University in the ‘Recovering the Art of Reconciliation’ project! I participated in a workshop session with them last month.
Researcher Dr Pauline Hadaway says, “ Recovering the Art of Reconciliation’ is the first online repository of its kind. Emerging from the findings of the earlier AHRC-funded investigation into the impact of the funded arts on conflict transformation in Northern Ireland, it makes available key information on arts-based peacebuilding projects from the early days of the Northern Irish peace process (c.1994) to the present day.”
I’m looking forward to the launch at the end of October! (More details then)
Well, that’s a wrap for the “I Just Called” tour of Antrim and Newtownabbey public libraries. It’s been epic and would not have happened without the enthusiasm and support of the staff and the partnership with Libraries NI. Thanks, in particular, to Becky and Danielle, to all who attended the talks, those who left messages in the visitor books and contributed their voices as new content. But wait… there’s more! From October, IJC will be visiting libraries across Belfast. Details to follow!
Exciting news! In partnership with Libraries NI, I Just Called is touring eight branch libraries in the Antrim and Newtownabbey district starting today at Glengormley Library. There will be an installation in each library and the opportunity to hear an artist talk (and contribute new content) at each venue. Dates are as below.
Glengormley: 07 May 2024 – 31 May 2024
Talk: Fri 10 May 11:30
Crumlin: 14 May 2024 – 07 June 2024
Talk: Fri 17 May 15:00
Rathcoole: 03 June 2024 – 28 June 2024
Talk: Tue 04 June 11:00
Cloughfern: 11 June 2024 – 05 July 2024
Talk: 11 June 12:00
Randalstown: 02 July 2024 – 02 August 2024
Talk: 05 July 15:00
Antrim (Main): 08 July 2024 – 09 August 2024
Talk: 19 July 15:00
Antrim (Greystone): 06 August 2024 – 30 August 2024
Talk: 08 August 11:00
Ballyclare: 2 August 2024 – 02 September 2024
Talk: 16 August 11:00
Thanks to Becky (Branch Manager at Glengormley) and the rest of the team at Libraries NI for enabling this to happen.
Since it opened, The Yellow Yard indoor market has become an iconic part of Derry’s cultural scene. It’s a former shirt factory (Derry was once famous for its shirt manufacturing) nestled in the historic walled city. It’s home to Abbazappa Records (probably Ireland’s biggest record shop), The Plot Thickens bookshop, and Katie Blue’s Vintage Clothes and Gifts. It’s even had a cameo as a location in Derry Girls! Owner Ben Allen and I go back a long way – we were briefly in a band together- so it was a genuine pleasure to have him and his partner Katie agree to host I Just Called for the next month or so. Go there, listen to the piece, and buy some stuff from Ben and Katie!
IJC(2024) Is at The Yellow Yard until the end of April.
The Yellow Yard is at Palace Street, Derry City, BT48 6PR
My plan is to hold a series of events to collect new content for the ongoing work ijustcalled.online . If you want to know about these sessions and keep up to date about the project and potential new locations, then subscribe to the newsletter below.
Your email will only be used to notify you about IJC and related news. I will not pass your details on to any third party, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
…Or send me your recorded message now!
If you can’t wait, then send a short recording (mp3 file preferred) of your intended message to:
I will try to include your message in the next update if it is suitable. Please note that messages will be screened for inappropriate content.* If your message is not in English, then please include an English translation along with it. Messages will be used or not at my sole discretion.
IMPORTANT: Consent and Copyright
All messages used in the project are used with the consent of the participants. By sending any content for inclusion, you will be deemed as having given permission for the recording to be used in this or any future projects, and you accept my right as an artist to retain copyright on this or any further use of the content in my creative projects. Please understand that once consent is given, it will not be possible to delete your contribution once it is integrated into a project.
Thank you, Colin
*I will regard inappropriate content as hate speech of any kind, including racism or incitement to violence.
I’m happy to announce that the 2024 iteration of I Just Called will be part of the PRIME Exhibition Launch- Part of the Here and Now Festival 2023/24 .
The installation consists of a rescued telephone seat and a poster displaying a QR code linking to ijustcalled.online, enabling people to experience the content on their own devices. The event is happening at the ArtsCare gallery space at Connswater Shopping Centre, opening on Thursday 01 February and running through until Friday 08 March 2024.
I was honoured to be commissioned to provide this essay for the re-launch of the NZ online journal Soundbleed. The essay seeks to contextualise the Auckland non-idiomatic free improv group Vitamin S.
Happy to be collaborating with the amazing Sarah Burrell on this installation project at the old gun emplacements at Fort Takapuna near Devonport on Auckland’s North Shore.